Grief
by SummersSixEcho
Summary: [One-shot] Five stages of grief, five different views, five ways to deal with Danny's absence...


**Notes:** So this is the third (and last) story following "Gone" and "Graveyard shift", dealing with Danny's death. This can either be read as a standalone story or as a continuation of those two other fics.

These are 5 short but interconnected stories dealing with the different stages of grief.

* * *

**GRIEF**

* * *

**_DENIAL_**

He needed to see her, let her know she was not on her own... maybe that way he wouldn't feel as alone, either. This brought Tucker walking up the stairs in the Manson residence towards his friend's room, where Mrs. Manson had said her daughter was. He was still trying to make sense of what just happened, feeling like it had just been a bad dream, even though all the evidence already proved otherwise. He needed to talk to Sam, see how she was doing after... after...

Not even his thoughts dared to finish the sentence.

The door to Sam's bedroom was closed and Tuck figured it would be locked as well. He knocked gently, calling her name in a raspy voice, which only reminded the boy of his earlier cries of desolation. He waited a few seconds, trying to listen to any movement from inside. The lock clicked and absolute silence reigned again, so he ventured into the room.

Turquoise eyes landed on the mess inside. Dozens of used tissues covered the otherwise purple floor, puddles of wax adorned her desk and nightstands, and a few books were scattered across her bed. The almost inaudible voice of a newscast on her computer was the only sound present.

The goth girl in question was half-sitting on her window ledge, looking at the blue sky with unwavering attention. She was paler than usual, if that was even possible. Hurt was evident in her violet eyes but she seemed serene, something Tucker found odd.

"Hey," the boy mumbled in a voice so soft he wasn't sure he had said anything at all.

"Hey," Sam replied in the same weak manner, not turning to look at him.

Tucker fell awkward all of a sudden, unsure of how to approach the topic. He thought she would be crying her heart out, even smashing things in pure anger. But she was calm. Unnervingly calm. Was she already over it?

He idly turned to look at the laptop on her desk. The lady on the news assured they would have a warm and sunny weather throughout the day. The time at the bottom of the screen indicated they wouldn't make it to school in time, not that he'd be able to endure a single class after what happened.

"_Back to you, Becky_," the weather-woman exclaimed in a sugary tone.

"_Thanks, Linda!_" the news anchor replied. "_In other news, Danny Phantom had a busy schedule in the early hours of the morning, as he managed to defeat eight ghosts that attacked different parts of the city. This has been the busiest report we've had of our local hero. Lance Thunder is live at the scene of the most recent attack."_

"Holy crap," Tucker whispered as he stared at the images of his white-haired friend, who was shown fighting Technus at the electronics shop on Freeling Road. Tuck was paralyzed as soon as he heard his friend's name, but now that he saw him in action it made the whole situation even more surreal.

The boy didn't notice when Sam hurried to his side to see the news. She gaped at the video feed in front of them, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I knew it," she rejoiced. "I fucking _knew it_!"

The excited girl hurried into her closet to take out her combat boots, wearing them over bare feet. She was still in her nightgown, her hair a complete mess, but she didn't care. She had to see Danny, now that she knew where he was.

Before Sam could reach the door, Tucker stepped in the way and blocked her path. The girl huffed in annoyance. "C'mon! We're going to miss him if we don't hurry!" she bellowed, but her friend wouldn't budge.

Her lilac gaze met his sad and determined look. "Don't do this, Sam," he pleaded as he put his hands on her shoulders.

She was taken aback, confused by Tuck's reaction. She wanted to wriggle out of his firm grip, but her faltering energy advised her against it. The sleepless night had started taking its toll a few hours ago. "What's the big idea, Tucker?" Sam snapped instead.

"He's gone, Sam. He's gone."

His quiet words felt like a punch in her gut, but she knew it didn't make sense. "Uh, hello? Didn't you see the news report?"

Tucker sighed and released her shoulders, the sensation of tears stinging his eyes as he did so. "You heard what Jazz said. He doesn't remember who he... _was_," he responded. It took every ounce of energy he had left to not break down. He had to be as strong as possible for her.

Sam's hurt expression returned. "How can you believe that?" she fumed. "How can you consider for one second that guy Jazz found was the real Danny? He was fighting all night long! That's why he didn't go back home. You seriously think he would keel over and _die_ all of a sudden, with no explanation? Or are you going to tell me you believe this whole 'heart failure' bullshit?" She stared expectantly at the techno geek but he remained in absolute silence. "Tell me!" she demanded, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

The faint sound of the news report filled the void once again, but the tension was still in the air. She needed time, Tucker knew. He could tell her how he hacked into Vlad's computer and found no trace of an active cloning project. He could say he had already calibrated his ghost detector to Danny's unique ecto-signature, and how he had found two matching coordinates: one from the specter shown on the news and a much fainter one from Fenton Works, where Danny's body had lain before they took it to the morgue.

Tucker could give her enough proof to believe the awful truth. He could say a million things to counter every single argument she could come up with. He just couldn't bring himself to shatter the girl's illusions with such harshness.

"I don't know," he responded instead after a few seconds, in part to allow Sam to calm down. "But could you not run off to get in the middle of a ghost fight? Could we talk about this instead?"

Sam rubbed her arms in a protective manner, but didn't say a word. She walked back towards her bed and sat down on what little space there was left. She picked one of the books next to her, "Underworld Mythology", and stared at the open page for a moment before shoving it into one of her drawers.

She could wait for Danny to show up. He always stopped by or called after a ghost fight. It would just take him longer than usual with all the activity he faced in the last few hours. Tucker was right, why rush when he would be back later?

Tuck gave her hand a reassuring squeeze once he sat in front of her and it somehow made her feel less lonely. The voices coming from her computer stopped all of a sudden. The streaming was over, which meant it was too late to make it to school. Their class was about to start.

It didn't matter. She didn't want to deal with the world at the moment.

* * *

**_ANGER_**

She didn't want to deal with the world at the moment. She wanted to ditch class, go back home, and get a good night's rest. After having her ghost alarm beeping at different times in the middle of the night, she was in no mood for Lancer's class. But Valerie knew better. She knew her dad would ground her for skipping school. So, even though she was already late, she hurried into the English classroom with thousands of excuses already in her head.

The decent alibi she had chosen was forgotten once she opened the door. A knot formed in her stomach at the sight. Every single one of her peers seemed lost, depressed, or just plain petrified, and had paid no attention to the arrival of their classmate. Mr. Lancer, who usually had a remark ready for those who were late, only signaled the girl to her seat.

Valerie, utterly confused, wanted to ask Star what was going on, but the blonde cheerleader was just as distraught as the rest of the kids. A quick scan of the room brought three vacant seats to her attention, belonging to Danny and his friends. The alarms in her head began to blare but she didn't know what to make of this whole situation.

The teacher sighed. He had been saying something before Valerie interrupted his class, so he had to find the right words to continue. He assumed the girl already knew. It was common knowledge even amongst teachers she was fond of Danny, and maybe the only other friend the boy had aside from Sam and Tucker. There was no way she didn't know already. So, he had to continue. "The service will be today at 6. Of course, you're all encouraged to assist. I'm sure the Fentons would appreciate the support during this difficult time."

The huntress tried to process the information but didn't like the conclusion she got. It had to be wrong. She raised a hand, making her bracelets clatter from the sudden movement. "Mr. Lancer, I know I'm late and I'm sorry. But... what's going on?"

The horror in her teacher's face didn't go unnoticed. "I'm... I'm sorry. I thought you knew," he managed to say. He tried to regain his composure before he spoke again. "I'm afraid a classmate passed away last night. I'm sorry, Ms. Gray. Danny is no longer with us."

Val's heart was racing before he could even finish. Time moved slower and everything made her feel like she was having a horrible nightmare. She heard a few kids sobbing at the sound of Danny's name. Oh, god, not Danny. Images of his perfect smile, his goofy traits, his selflessness, and the spark behind his blue eyes flashed in her head. This wasn't happening... Without a word, she rushed out to the hallway and towards the girl's bathroom, where she threw up once she reached a stall.

This couldn't be happening. Danny, sweet and charming Danny; the boy she swore to protect; the boy she loved more than he ever knew. He was... _gone_. How? _Why?_ He seemed perfectly fine the day before and she knew there was no excessive amount of bullying involved. They had even been joking during detention. The memory brought back he sound of his carefree laughter... a sound she would never hear again.

Valerie walked to the sink, letting the water run through her trembling fingers as a million thoughts crossed her mind. A voice repeated Lancer's cruel sentence, _Danny is no longer with us_, over and over again. She held onto the side of the white basin as if its firm support could make the world stop moving.

A sudden realization made her see red. There had to be a ghost behind this. The increase of paranormal activity throughout the night and early morning was enough indicator. Danny was vulnerable of any attack, either to get to her or his parents. Oh, how she would make them pay...

Her fists tightened on the sink, a red glow surrounding them. The energy crackled dangerously and in an instant the porcelain shattered, which brought a good portion of it crashing to the floor. The girl snapped out of her incensed daze and noticed a very familiar suit covering every inch of her body. She didn't recall summoning her gear, but sometimes it knew better than her when she needed to suit up. And right at that moment, she needed to beat the crap out of something.

There were only a couple of ghosts who might know what happened. At least two spooks knew the Fenton Family well enough, and one of them had been spotted all around Amity Park in the last few hours. _Phantom_, her mind growled.

That sole idea was what took her minutes later flying towards Freeling Road, where her radar and the news stations had spotted the elusive specter. The Red Huntress confirmed it once she saw the ghost kid fleeing from the scene, the battle already over.

She followed him closely, waiting for the right moment to send a net in his direction. But before she could do anything, Phantom turned around to face her, making them both stop mid-air in the process.

"Why are you following me, Huntress?" he asked.

_Huntress?_ Valerie's mind repeated. He was always insisting on calling her name, something she hated and put her secret identity in jeopardy. She didn't have time for whatever game he was playing. "I need answers," she said in a cold and low tone.

Phantom crossed his arms, unfazed by the girl's threatening demeanor. "I'd tell you to shoot but I'm afraid you'll take it literally."

"I don't have time for jokes!" Val snapped. A tense silence filled the air for a long moment. "What do you know about Danny Fenton's death?"

The ghost kid raised an eyebrow. "You knew him, didn't you?"

Valerie didn't answer. There was something off about him. He didn't call her by her name and now he didn't remember she was Danny's friend? It was starting to get on her nerves. Apparently, her suit noticed this as well, building up the same energy as before in her fists. "What do you know, spook?"

"I'm not sure," he replied, his expression turning into one of confusion. "All I know is he got in the middle of a fight but I can't remember what happened."

The girl clenched her glowing red fists. She was right. There was a ghost involved. Danny was killed and she wasn't there to prevent it. No one was able to save him, not even his parents or the so-called _hero_ floating in front of her. "Did you have anything to do with it?"

Phantom blinked. "No, I was trying to help him. It just happened so fast I can't remember all of it. Honest."

_He's lying,_ her mind insisted. Valerie wanted to punch him so badly... Without a warning she sprinted in his direction and connected a fist to his jaw. "Liar!" she screamed, a hot sensation welling up inside her veins.

The ghost didn't expect an attack and stared at her in shock. "I'm not lying!" he responded as a green shield protected him from another punch. "I'm sorry he's gone, but I had nothing to do with it."

As Valerie continued punching Phantom's shield, a white hand from within the barrier grabbed her wrist and stopped her movement. She used her free hand to attack the ghost again and struggle free, but in an instant he let down his shield and held both of her wrists firmly. His glowing green eyes pierced into hers. "I'm sorry," he repeated slowly, trying to let his words sink in.

Valerie didn't say anything. She wanted to blast him into pieces. She wanted to rip every ghost apart to prevent this from happening to anyone else. A fire started to spread deep within her bones, making every fiber of her being scream for revenge.

But even when she could destroy every ghost who dared to show its ugly face in the human world, even when she could shut down every gateway they had access to, there was just a single thing she knew wouldn't change despite her efforts, something not even destroying her biggest enemy would ever achieve...

She wouldn't be able to bring Danny back.

* * *

**_BARGAINING_**

She wouldn't be able to bring Danny back. Not unless she looked for alternative methods and gathered the courage to face the one man she hated the most.

News travelled fast in the Ghost Zone, where Danielle had been roaming the last couple of days. It had started like a restless whisper: the ghost kid was no longer human. The vagueness of the gossip brought along thousands of tales and made-up facts, none of which she believed. She knew of only one ghost who could tell her what had really happened. But even though Clockwork did confirm her cousin's fate, he didn't offer any explanation, any details, or any help to revert what had be done. No matter how much she pleaded, the Master of Time wouldn't do anything to reset the timeline.

She guessed she had very little time to act, which could be a good thing. If she stopped to think about the consequences her actions might have, her better judgment might have advised her against it. But there was no one else who understood half ghosts as well as Vlad.

Dani hated the idea of even getting close to that creep. So as his mansion came into view, the small girl couldn't stop a shiver from traveling her whole body nor the dread that had settled in her stomach.

"You can do this, Danielle," she muttered to herself. "Do this for Danny."

Flying closer to the residence, she regained her visibility and phased through the main door. She couldn't be sure the place was safe, but she had to find the billionaire as soon as possible.

Seconds later, Danielle found him sitting in his office, talking on the phone about some flower arrangements to be delivered in the afternoon, 5 o'clock sharp. He raised an eyebrow as soon as he noticed the girl floating into the room, but didn't offer any additional reaction. Instead, he calmly finished the call and hung up the phone once it was over.

The sadistic maniac Danielle once knew seemed absent this time, but she knew this was a man incapable of ever feeling anything. That's why she had to find a good way of negotiating with him. It still startled her when she saw his grim and tired expression. "Whatever it is you want, I don't have time right now," he warned.

The ghost girl changed back to her human self and stood in front of Vlad's desk, unsure of how to start. "I know what happened to Danny," she whispered.

"Oh, do you, now?" he questioned, his words laced with irony. "So what version do you know? That he was killed in a fight against The Box Ghost? That his heart gave out? That he lost his power to become a human? Tell me, girl, because I'm _dying_ to learn what idiotic new gossip the Ghost Zone has managed to come up with."

Dani didn't know what to make of his reaction, so she just shook her head. "I just... I think I can help him come back."

The room's temperature dropped and she knew Vlad wasn't happy with her presence. "I'm not in the mood to deal with nonsense, Danielle. I still have arrangements to make for his service."

"You cared, didn't you?" she asked, stunned by the sudden realization. "You cared about Danny."

Vlad stared at her for a moment, his steel gaze showing a hint of pain. "How do you think you can help?"

Dani approached his desk, placing her tiny hands on top of the mahogany surface. "What if you use my energy to bring him back to life? You created me out of his DNA, so I could work as a battery replacement."

This was her only option left. She knew the man she once called 'daddy' was crazy enough to play Dr. Frankenstein with her and her 'brothers'. He wouldn't have a problem now if it meant bringing back Danny, right? After all, he would probably do it just to win Maddie back. It was a win-win situation for everyone.

"You do realize a procedure like the one you're suggesting would end your existence permanently?" he asked with no hint of emotion.

Of course she knew. It would mean _she_ wouldn't be able to see Danny come back to life. She would never be able to tell him face to face how grateful she was for all the things he did. But that was okay. She was never meant to be alive and now she would be able to serve a much bigger purpose.

"Saving Danny is much more important to me," she replied.

As Vlad stood up from his chair, Danielle's heart began to fill with hope. Was he going to do it? Would they be able to save him? Excitement, relief, and joy took over all the sadness inside her. But the man gave her a somber look as he knelt in front of her.

"It can't be done, Danielle," his disheartening words sent a wave of panic into the girl's heart.

Vlad wouldn't be able to undo what happened to Daniel. He had already discovered this as he overshadowed the people conducting the boy's autopsy. And of course he had considered other possibilities using his previous cloning experiments, but all those failures proved it wouldn't be a consistent solution and would only bring more heartache into Maddie's heart.

Tears began to stream down Dani's face. "B-but... I can... I can... I can help. There must be something I can help with," she sobbed. "Please, at least try. Please, you're the only one who can do something. Please... please..."

The girl held onto the man's neck in an inconsolable embrace. He didn't know how to react to her cries of help, so he pushed her gently away.

"I can't help him," he interrupted as he stood up from his position, dusting his suit in the process. "I still have arrangements to make for his service. If you truly love Daniel, it would be wise of you to stay out of Amity Park."

Danielle couldn't believe the monster standing in front of her. She should've known better... he didn't care. He was her last choice and he wouldn't do a thing. Still bewildered, she wiped her tears with her blue sleeve and glared at the man. Without another word, she changed into her ghost form and flew out the cold mansion.

The pain of having all hope lost was unbearable.

* * *

**_DEPRESSION_**

The pain of having all hope lost was unbearable. When Danny had gone missing, they at least had faith he would be safe. In deep trouble, but safe and sound nonetheless. But when they saw his lifeless body lying in his bedroom, an unreal scene they both tried so hard to forget, they knew their son would never return home safe.

The silence that filled the house was a bitter reminder of Danny's absence. Maddie wanted to listen to his awful music, the sound of his laughter whenever his friends were around, his bickering with Jazz, and even the way he managed to slam every door in the house no matter its size.

The grieving mother had little energy for anything and was thankful Vlad took care of things, from that afternoon's service to the bureaucratic paperwork and subsequent burial. Neither she nor Jack would've been able to focus on any of it. In fact, her husband was so lost he didn't even give a second glance to the news reports on the spike of ghost attacks. The two ghost hunters couldn't care less of what was going on outside their doors.

She still managed to walk up the stairs and stand in front of her son's bedroom. Part of her wanted to open the door and find him on his computer; she wanted to listen to his protest of how he doesn't have any privacy in this house. Of course, the other part of her knew that wouldn't be possible and her sweet child wouldn't be back.

Her still gloved hand travelled to the handle and opened the door. His bedroom seemed cold, even though the window was shut. His comforter was still wrinkled, his shape barely visible now. Her heart ached at the memory of his inert form, his pale skin, dry lips, and expressionless face. The way Jazz sat paralyzed by his side hurt her just as bad.

An incontrollable sob escaped her lips and she quickly covered her mouth. She didn't want her family to worry about her. She didn't want to drag them to the dark place she felt she was falling into. Trying to collect herself, she continued her way to the closet, one step at a time.

The small space was impossibly cluttered with clothes. She wasn't sure which garments were still clean. She wasn't sure if it mattered anymore. Maddie slid the hangers from left to right until she found the blue suit they wanted Danny to wear. She smoothed it with her free hand and laid it on the bed. She still needed to find the shirt, tie, and shoes to complete the outfit.

Walking back to the closet, she kneeled to find the shoes first, which were probably hidden under the flood of jeans, socks, and t-shirts. Her fingers found something solid (perhaps a shoe's heel?) and retrieved it from the mess. She stared at the cylindrical object, a familiar contraption Jack had created. A Fenton Thermos.

It was dirty and dented. If she didn't know better, she would've thought her son had used it often. Of course, that couldn't be the case. Danny had been terrified of ghosts. But the fact that he had kept the device in his room made her believe that maybe her son didn't hate their job that much after all.

A sudden fear filled her heart once again and she had to refrain herself from shivering. There was a nagging worry that hadn't left her alone for the last several hours, the horrifying idea that her son could come back as a ghost. She had to remind herself not all people returned as ghosts. Danny was such a sweet boy who wouldn't have a single thing keeping him back, let alone filling him with hatred like so many manifestations of post-human consciousness they had encountered. But what if she was wrong?

_Oh, my baby boy,_ she mourned. The woman held the thermos closer to her chest and walked to her son's bed. She lied down next to the spot where she last saw him, where she had left the suit that matched his beautiful blue eyes. She cried into the suit's shoulder, unable to stop her desperate sobs.

"Oh, Danny, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she wept. "I'm so sorry, my baby."

Maddie was sorry for being absent so many times. Sorry for not paying attention to all those tiny signals that could have probably saved his life. If only she or Jack had looked closely, Danny's heart could've received treatment on time. She regretted not talking more to him, not asking about his dreams and interests, not seeing his boy grow up into such a perfect young man. Most of all, she regretted being a ghost hunter if it meant there was the slightest chance of encountering him as a restless spirit.

She kissed her son's pillow, just where his forehead was last night. She closed her eyes and stood up. She needed to find the rest of his attire.

After a few more minutes, Maddie was able to retrieve his shoes, the blue tie, and a wrinkly white shirt. She set everything neatly on the bed and gave it one last look before collecting the items again.

Before she left the room, she walked back to the bed. The woman hesitated for a moment, but knew she had to do this. With a shaky hand, she pulled the covers until the surface was smooth and no crease was longer visible.

It was time to let him go.

* * *

**_ACCEPTANCE_**

It was time to let him go. Time to bury his human body and forget the boy had ever been a thorn on his side. After all, the ghost who still paraded as Danny Phantom was no more Daniel than the body of the teenager inside the coffin.

As Amity Park's mayor and one of Forbes' top billionaires, Vlad Masters did all the necessary arrangements to give the boy the farewell his mother would've wanted for him. He found the best florists, the most talented string quartet, the best coffee, and even the best funeral home. He even bought 300 paper lanterns, which he would ask each attendee to release in the memory of the boy.

Maddie would be so touched by the ceremony...

The couple of note cards on his desk had a beautiful speech prepared. He didn't have to ask anyone to help him with the words he wanted to share. He wondered how different his speech would've been if everyone knew about Daniel's alter ego. If at the very least Jack and Maddie knew the ghost who had been fighting non-stop against others of his kind for the last 15 hours was none other than their son.

If his experience had revealed anything during the last 20 years it was that ghosts could spend entire decades unaware of who they were when they were alive. He wasn't sure how long it would take Daniel to figure it out, to remember his family, his friends, or his human enemies. Like any other ghost, the boy was merely obsessed with one thing. In his case, it seemed to be protecting Amity Park.

As the city's elected official, having a ghost hero working for free was very convenient. But for the boy, Vlad didn't know if he would ever find some rest. He could spend all of eternity protecting this city, this country, or the whole world but the burden would never cease to exist. A new threat loomed in every corner.

Could he try talking to the boy? Would he remember his evil schemes as Plasmius? Would the child be strong enough to defeat him now? After all, Vlad couldn't threaten with killing his friends or his father. He wouldn't be able to play with his fears or emotions. That's why he had to negotiate with ghosts to do his bidding in creative ways.

Of course, his lack of memory for who knew how long would leave the Fenton family vulnerable. He could kill Jack without intromission now, and then finally win Maddie over. But now that she was suffering the loss of her youngest child, he couldn't do anything to hurt the woman. If he wanted to be close to her, he would have to give her time to grieve, to cope, to heal... which he knew would never be enough.

How does a parent come to terms with the death of a son, when it's unnatural for them to outlive their children? How long until Maddie is able to smile and laugh again? How long until her eyes remembered their sparkle? How long until she found her way again?

How long until Daniel regained his memory?

Oh, that question again. Why did he worry so much? The boy wouldn't meddle in his plans for a while, so that should be something to be grateful about. The boy wouldn't interrupt him with his sassy attitude or witty banter. He would never have to deal with that brat's insolent comebacks and pranks. He wouldn't need to find new ways to make Daniel's life difficult or to plan two steps ahead of him. Vlad Masters was at last free from those worries.

And yet, he couldn't help but feel a needle piercing his heart, feeling this loss was not just about Maddie but of Daniel as well.

Nonsense. What's done is done and there was no way of reverting it. Daniel was gone and would have an extraordinary ceremony to celebrate his life, to appease his mother's heart, to allow Maddie to say farewell with dignity, with love, with peace.

"Oh, Maddie... if only you could forgive me for my unspeakable crimes..." he whispered to himself. He placed the note cards in his suit's pocket and headed outside, where his car was already waiting to take him to Daniel's service.

His atonement would forever silence his sins, he was certain. Maddie never had to find out how he was in part responsible for her son's demise. But he needed to be sure, he needed to be there, to be present, to console her, to offer the support he knew Jack would never be able to provide for the distressed woman.

He needed to see her, let her know she was not on her own... maybe that way hewouldn't feel as alone, either.


End file.
